“Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” Mr. Trump said, staring directly into the cameras. “I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.”1

Let’s be clear: Trump’s encouragement of a dangerous dictator like Vladimir Putin to commit espionage and publicize state secrets poses serious national security concerns, and may violate federal law. This unprecedented action is even more horrifying given that Trump is scheduled to start receiving classified national security briefings, reportedly as early as this Friday.

This cannot happen. We need to raise a massive outcry now.

Tell Director of National Intelligence James Clapper: No national security briefings for Donald Trump.

Trump’s shocking request for Putin to spy on the United States comes on the heels of widely reported stories linking Russia to cyber attacks against the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that culminated with a Wikileaks drop of tens of thousands of internal DNC emails over the weekend.2

There is no legal requirement for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to provide the presidential candidates with classified information. Earlier this month, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan tried to use the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email usage as grounds to block Clinton from receiving briefings. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper refused that request, saying he "does not intend to withhold briefings from any officially nominated, eligible candidate."3

It’s hard to imagine that a presidential candidate who has possibly violated federal law, by asking a hostile government to spy on a former secretary of state, should be eligible to receive briefings. It would be irresponsible and dangerous for Clapper to provide them.

Tell Director of National Intelligence James Clapper: No national security briefings for Donald Trump.

Trump is now trying to walk back his dangerous rhetoric. That’s how he’s gotten away with so much already — from racism to misogyny to xenophobia to inciting violence. It’s up to us to push back on this breach as much as we have pushed back on his hate.